Adopted
by LAB Rats
Summary: Harry doesn't want to stay for the winter holidays. He isn't going to the Burrow. He isn't going to his relatives. where is he going? And why doesn't he want to tell Dumbledore? Who adopted Harry Potter without telling Dumbledore?


Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter, well...not yet.

Adopted

Harry had been adopted over the summer- his new father found out about the abuse and he decided to end it, using blood adoption that would go through no matter what. Half the part of the blood adoption ritual is making sure that the child is positive he wants to be with the parent, who must also be sure of wanting the child. It was therefore simple to go through with the ritual. Without thinking about it, he and Harry never told anyone. It was something that they didn't want to hide, but they had to for now. Harry wouldn't let his father be hurt because of his association with Harry, and the other man wanted to protect Harry as much as possible.

Harry didn't sign up to stay behind on Christmas, because he was looking forward to going to the house with his father. Dumbledore noticed that Harry wasn't staying, and decided it was time to question this newfound happiness. Snape sat behind Dumbledore, to intimidate the boy with his sarcastic wit.

After the commonplace offering of lemon drops, Dumbledore leaned back. "Harry, my dear boy, I noticed that you are not signed up to stay over the Christmas holidays." He started, then left the question hanging in the air.

"Yes sir."

"Are you planning on heading back to your relatives for Christmas?"

"Yes, Sir." Not a lie. His dad was related now, after all.

"I'm sure your aunt would be delighted to see you." Dumbledore was smiling inwardly. He was right, the boy did love his relatives.

"No, sir. I'm not going to my aunts."

"But you said you were going to your relatives, they are the only relatives that you have."

Harry grinned. "Sir, I was adopted over the summer."

Dumbledore's eyes widened. "But, I haven't heard about this…"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know who knows, I just know that Dad and I know."

"Who is your new father?"

"Dad." The answer was so simple that Dumbledore blinked before he realized that it meant nothing.

"Do you know his name?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"Well, I call him Father, or Dad, sometimes I even call him Sir." Harry mused.

"What would I call him?"

"Probably my boy."

"What?"

"Well, you keep calling me that, I thought you would call him that." The innocent confusion in his eyes sent Snape over the edge and his lips twitched as he watched Dumbledore getting danced around by a child…

"Do I know him?"

"Yes."

"Did you know him before this summer?"

"Yes. We met before this summer."

"Where did you meet him?"

"Diagon Alley." Well, they had met. Almost. He'd seen his father there first.

"Have you seen him since then?"

"Yes, when he came to my house and since then, I've lived with him until school, and I'm going to go with him over break."

"Who is your father?"

"Dad."

"Will you tell me his name?"

"No."

Dumbledore was floored.

"Did you just want to know why I wasn't staying?"

"Yes." Snape said, "Which you have told us so many times, it is a miracle that the Headmaster hasn't figured it out. We will call you back if we have any more questions." The voice was sarcastic, but quiet.

Dumbledore took a minute to get himself back together. "Ah, Severus, My Boy...that reminds me. You did not volunteer to stay behind. Why is that?"

"I'm going home."

"Why?"

"To be with my family." He said, then left.

Dumbledore sighed. Who the heck was Snape talking about? Who would adopt Harry?

With no answers then, he resolved to ask when they came back. Of course, they seemed to be even better at dancing around him then. I mean, really. How many times can you ask about the name, before you get that Harry wouldn't tell you? How many times can you ask about Snape's family and only hear about the dark lord, before you give up. Dumbledore isn't stupid. That's why he planned on asking again in the spring, if Harry wanted to leave again…


End file.
